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Lao-Shan Lung Ecology
Disclaimer: This is merely a plausible explanation for the monster(s) in this article, and should not be considered canon. In-Game Information A giant dragon few have seen and lived to tell the tale about. When on the rampage it wreaks havoc on all in its path. The Guild has built a fortress to repel the beast, but will it hold? Taxonomy An Elder Dragon, albeit a gigantic specimen. Lao-Shan Lung is the third largest elder dragon (and is one of four Elder Dragons that lack wings, the others being Jhen Mohran, Ceadeus, and Raviente). Lao-Shan may also be the only fully terrestrial dragon yet seen. Lao-Shan Lung is unique in that there are no other dragons like it, and so far no relatives of the creature have been found. It could be that, since Lao-Shan-Lung is ancient, all of its descendants have died out, leaving it as one of the last of a dying breed, but this is purely speculation. Tough to kill if not prepared, and not to be taken for granted. There is a belief that the in-game Lao Shan is young, or even a baby, because it doesn't attack the hunter. The Lao Shan Lung is also believed to not have a set death age unless killed in battle, so they may still get a lot bigger. Habitat Range Lao Shan-Lung can survive in many environments, but prefers mountainous or volcanic areas for their high mineral content. Lao's body color is determined by its primary feeding areas; red shows heavy iron consumption (from feeding in areas such as the mountains near Pokke), whereas blue-grey is due to Machalite and ash from the volcanic belt. Ecological Niche Unknown, possibly a predator or idle grazer. Lao-Shans have very slow metabolisms, but must take in huge quantities of food in order to sustain their massive bodies. Mountain rocks and volcanic ores are said to make up a good portion of the behemoths' diet, but rocks cannot sustain such a large beast alone. It is possible that they scavenge large kills from large wyverns such as Akantors or other great predators, but this unlikely, as such an incident would not occur often enough to sustain Lao-Shans. Some suggests Lao-Shan Lungs are herbivores, taking in huge amounts of plants, but the creatures jaw and tooth structure do not fit a herbivore's build. A Lao's size dwarfs most other known monsters, including giants such as Akantor and Fatalis. The only creature known to strike fear in, and therefore possibly kill, a Lao-Shan is a Fatalis. Biological Adaptations Huge. By far one of the largest dragons ever documented. Lao-Shan Lungs are very well armored, although their bellies are vulnerable, as are their heads. Their shells only thicken as the behemoths age. A Lao-Shan's shell coloration is also determined by the mineral content it consumes. Like most dragons, their roar is very loud and can affect hunters a good distance away. Because of their size, getting stepped on or whipped by the tail is very damaging or possibly fatal if the hunter's armor is low grade. =Behavior= Extremely docile even when facing multiple foes. They appear to care little about hunters, as they mainly ignore them on their way to the town fortress. That said, they will put in a great deal of effort to break the fort rather then simply run away. Only recently confirmed the reasons behind a Lao-shan's movements is their desire to be farther away from Fatalis, no matter what the circumstances. Category:Monster Ecology